A race lost on protest could prove crucial to Nash Rawiller's late bid for the Sydney jockeys' premiership.

In the past couple of weeks, Rawiller has made the most of Hugh Bowman's annual holiday in Ireland, and has whittled the lead back to 5-1/2 with five meetings remaining.

A treble at Warwick Farm on Saturday was almost four but Rawiller lost Clever Boy's win on protest.

Bowman had to wait until the last race to claim a victory aboard Upshot at his first day back to set the scene for battle over the next two weeks.

"It's been a long day watching Nash chewing them over," Bowman said after his victory.

At the end of April, Rawiller was in sixth position, 14 wins behind the leader Tommy Berry who forfeited his chance at a premiership to ride for 10 weeks in Hong Kong where he was an instant success.

Corey Brown also gave up his chances in favour of a stint in Singapore and Rawiller has quickly overtaken Kerrin McEvoy and Glyn Schofield in his bid for a third riders' title.

"It's a bit of a goal to keep me going," Rawiller said.

"But really I just want to concentrate on riding winners and concentrate on the job.

"If it happens, it happens."

The number one rider for the Gai Waterhouse stable, Rawiller rode two winners - Pitcrew and Charing Cross - for his boss on Saturday and the appropriately named Madam Nash for premier trainer Chris Waller.

Bowman, who has ridden 70-1/2 winners so far, is also shooting for his third title having won in 2008-09 and last season with Rawiller the champion for the two years in between.